In the textile field, and especially in the hosiery and knitting industry, the production is well known of tubular knitted articles, for example stockings, socks and tights, using circular knitting machines. In some cases, the toe of the tubular knitted article shall be closed by linking or sewing. There are circular knitting machines producing tubular knitted articles with closed toe. These machines are however complex and expensive.
In many cases, the tubular knitted article exits from the circular knitting machine with the open toe, and shall be transferred to a sewing or a linking machine. To this end, there are devices taking the tubular knitted article from the needle cylinder of the circular knitting machine and transferring it to the sewing machine or the linking machine. Examples of this type of devices are disclosed in WO2004/035894, WO2010/086708, US20160024695.
Usually, the linking devices comprise two bowed needles provided with reciprocating rotary motion for linking by means of two yarns. A critical aspect of these devices is the adjustment of the needle position with respect to the members on which the tubular knitted article is engaged, constituted for example by spikes of a linking machine, or by pick-up hooks that are also used to take the tubular knitted article from the needle cylinder of the circular knitting machine (see US20160024695).
There is therefore a need for a simpler linking device wherein the adjustment of the needle position is easier.